One of the most difficult things to do in poker is changing the way you play the game. The reasons for such are infinite, but usually a shift in tactics comes from falling into a losing slump, and needing some kind of a spark to get you back on the right path. At least that’s what we tell ourselves. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it forces us deeper into the hole, closer to a self-imposed retirement.
Our poker tendencies are engrained in our personalities. As we’ve learned the game and honed our skills, so have we defined our play by the decisions we tend to make, the patterns we’ve established in our reactions. They touch on every aspect of poker – how you bet, how you bluff, when you call, raise or fold, how you read the other players, what you use off the top of your head to establish range, when to follow your gut vs. a statistical advantage…the areas we could touch upon are endless.
And when we’re losing, when the frustration builds and the emotions become too much to silence with common sense and patience alone, we take steps to do what we think we need to. As Obama plainly put it, change.
Yes, we can. Most of the time, we shouldn’t, but yes, we can.
And when we try to change our game at the absolute heart of our play, it takes more strength in the long run to fight our instincts than it does to fight our emotions. If you check raise on the button against a loose gambler, it’ll feel as foreign as an American in Cuba to take an opposite approach. And sticking with it over many turns is an entirely different story, as there’s certainly no guarantee it’ll work, and the desire to move back to your comfort zone will be strong.
But if you are committed to making a change, and treking through the trial-and-error of establishing yourself as a brand new player, you must know it won’t happen in one or two sittings. It takes time to change a culture.
If anything, it’s a good exercise to keep you sharp on the game itself, and affords you an opportunity to look at the other players in a new light. And, perhaps, put yourself in their shoes and see yourself as a changed player, as well.
Just remember that bluffing a queen high to a tight player on the river now doesn’t mean it’ll be smooth sailing.